System and method for a graphics terminal multiplier

ABSTRACT

Thin-client terminal systems allow server computer systems to be shared by multiple computer users. However, thin-client terminal systems that use analog signals can only be placed a limited distance from the main server computer system. On the other hand, thin-client terminal systems that rely purely on digital signals can be expensive to produce. A thin-client multiplier that combines the two different approaches communicates digitally with main server computer system such that it can be placed any distance from the main server computer system. The thin-client multiplier also provides output information received from the server system and electrical power to analog thin-client terminal systems and receives input information from the analog thin-client terminal systems. The received input information is provided to the server system for processing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Stage filing under 35 U.S.C. 371from International Patent Application Ser. No. PCT/US2010/051215, filedOct. 1, 2010, and published on Apr. 7, 2011 as WO 2011/041744A1, whichclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/248,274 filed Oct. 2, 2009 (“SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A GRAPHICSTERMINAL MULTIPLIER”), the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of thin-client systems. Inparticular, but not by way of limitation, the present inventiondiscloses techniques for implementing a multiplier for thin-clientterminal systems.

BACKGROUND

Centralized computer systems with multiple terminal systems foraccessing the centralized computer systems were once the dominantcomputer system architecture. These initially very expensive mainframeor mini-computer systems were shared by multiple computer users whereineach computer user had access to a terminal system coupled to themainframe computer.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, semiconductor microprocessors andmemory devices allowed the creation of inexpensive personal computersystems. Personal computer systems revolutionized the computing industryby allowing each individual computer user to have access to their ownfull computer system. Each personal computer user could run their ownsoftware applications and did not need to share any of the personalcomputer's resources with any other computer user.

Although personal computer systems have become the dominant form ofcomputing, there has been a resurgence of the centralized computersystem model wherein multiple computer users access a server systemusing individual computer terminals. Computer terminal systems can havesignificantly reduced maintenance costs since computer terminal userscannot easily introduce computer viruses into the main computer systemor load other unauthorized computer programs. Terminal based computingalso allows multiple users to easily share the same set of softwareapplications.

Modern personal computer systems have become increasingly powerful overthe decades such that a modern personal computer system is more powerfulthan the mainframe and mini-computer systems of the 1970's. In fact,modern personal computer systems are so powerful that the vast majorityof the computing resources in modern personal computer systems generallysit idle when a typical computer user uses a modern personal computersystem. Thus, personal computer systems can now easily serve multiplecomputer users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numeralsdescribe substantially similar components throughout the several views.Like numerals having different letter suffixes represent differentinstances of substantially similar components. The drawings illustrategenerally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, variousembodiments discussed in the present document.

FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic representation of machine in theexample form of a computer system within which a set of instructions,for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein, may be executed.

FIG. 2A illustrates a block diagram of a first example embodiment of athin-client terminal system coupled to a thin-client server computersystem.

FIG. 2B illustrates a high-level block diagram of the example embodimentof the single thin-client server computer system of FIG. 2A supportingmultiple individual thin-client terminal systems using multi-conductorwire that includes analog signals and electrical power, in accordancewith an example embodiment.

FIG. 3A illustrates a block diagram of a second example embodiment of athin-client terminal system coupled to a thin-client server computersystem using a purely digital communication line.

FIG. 3B illustrates a high-level block diagram of the example embodimentof the single thin-client server computer system of FIG. 3A supportingmultiple individual thin-client terminal systems using a local areanetwork, in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 3C illustrates a high-level block diagram of the example embodimentof the single thin-client server computer system of FIG. 3A supportingmultiple individual thin-client terminal systems using a universalserial bus connection.

FIG. 4A illustrates a block diagram of an example embodiment of athin-client multiplier that couples the thin-client server computersystem of FIG. 3A to more than one thin-client terminal systems of theexample embodiment of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 4B illustrates a high-level block diagram of the example embodimentof the thin-client server computer system of FIG. 3A coupled by acomputer network connection to the example embodiment of the thin-clientmultiplier of FIG. 4A for supporting multiple individual thin-clientterminal systems from the embodiment of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 4C illustrates a high-level block diagram of the example embodimentof the thin-client server computer system of FIG. 3A coupled via auniversal serial bus connection to the example embodiment of thethin-client multiplier of FIG. 4A for supporting multiple individualthin-client terminal systems from the embodiment of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 4D illustrates a high-level block diagram of the example embodimentof the thin-client server computer system of FIG. 3A coupled via auniversal serial bus connection to the example embodiment of thethin-client multiplier of FIG. 4A for supporting multiple individualthin-client terminal systems from the embodiment of FIG. 2A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description includes references to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description.The drawings show illustrations in accordance with example embodiments.These embodiments, which are also referred to herein as “examples,” aredescribed in enough detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention. It will be apparent to one skilled in the artthat specific details in the example embodiments are not required inorder to practice the present invention. For example, although theexample embodiments are mainly disclosed with reference to a thin-clientsystem, the teachings can be used in other environments. The exampleembodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, orstructural, logical and electrical changes may be made without departingfrom the scope what is claimed. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope is definedby the appended claims and their equivalents.

In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patentdocuments, to include one or more than one. In this document, the term“or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that “A or B” includes“A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unless otherwise indicated.Furthermore, all publications, patents, and patent documents referred toin this document are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety,as though individually incorporated by reference. In the event ofinconsistent usages between this document and those documents soincorporated by reference, the usage in the incorporated reference(s)should be considered supplementary to that of this document; forirreconcilable inconsistencies, the usage in this document controls.

Computer Systems

The present disclosure concerns computer systems. FIG. 1 illustrates adiagrammatic representation of machine in the example form of a computersystem 100 that may be used to implement portions of the presentdisclosure. Within computer system 100 there are a set of instructions124 that may be executed for causing the machine to perform any one ormore of the methodologies discussed herein. In a networked deployment,the machine may operate in the capacity of a server machine or a clientmachine in client-server network environment, or as a peer machine in apeer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be apersonal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a PersonalDigital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, anetwork router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing aset of computer instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specifyactions to be taken by that machine. Furthermore, while only a singlemachine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken toinclude any collection of machines that individually or jointly executea set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more ofthe methodologies discussed herein.

The example computer system 100 includes a processor 102 (e.g., acentral processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) orboth), a main memory 104 and a static memory 106, which communicate witheach other via a bus 108. The computer system 100 may further include avideo display adapter 110 that drives a video display system 115 such asa Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). The computersystem 100 also includes an alphanumeric input device 112 (e.g., akeyboard), a cursor control device 114 (e.g., a mouse or trackball), adisk drive unit 116, a signal generation device 118 (e.g., a speaker)and a network interface device 120.

The disk drive unit 116 includes a machine-readable medium 122 on whichis stored one or more sets of computer instructions and data structures(e.g., instructions 124 also known as ‘software’) embodying or utilizedby any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein.The instructions 124 may also reside, completely or at least partially,within the main memory 104 and/or within the processor 102 duringexecution thereof by the computer system 100, the main memory 104 andthe processor 102 also constituting machine-readable media.

The instructions 124 may further be transmitted or received over acomputer network 126 via the network interface device 120. Suchtransmissions may occur utilizing any one of a number of well-knowntransfer protocols such as the well known File Transport Protocol (FTP).

While the machine-readable medium 122 is shown in an example embodimentto be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” should betaken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralizedor distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) thatstore the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readablemedium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable ofstoring, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by themachine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of themethodologies described herein, or that is capable of storing, encodingor carrying data structures utilized by or associated with such a set ofinstructions. The term “machine-readable medium” shall accordingly betaken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, opticalmedia, and magnetic media.

For the purposes of this specification, the term “module” includes anidentifiable portion of code, computational or executable instructions,data, or computational object to achieve a particular function,operation, processing, or procedure. A module need not be implemented insoftware; a module may be implemented in software, hardware/circuitry,or a combination of software and hardware.

The Resurgence of Terminal Systems

Before the advent of the inexpensive personal computer, the computingindustry largely used mainframe or mini-computers that were coupled to aplurality of “dumb” terminal systems. Such terminal devices are referredto as “dumb” terminals since the computing ability resided within themainframe or mini-computer, and the terminal device merely displayed anoutput screen and accepted alpha-numeric input. No user applicationsexecuted locally on the terminal system. Computer operators shared themainframe computer among multiple individual computer users that eachused individual terminals coupled to the mainframe computer. Theseterminal systems generally had very limited graphics capabilities andwere generally capable of visualizing only alpha-numeric characters onthe display screen of the terminal system.

With the introduction of the modern personal computer system, the use ofdumb terminals largely disappeared since personal computer systems weremuch more cost effective. When the services of a dumb terminal wererequired to interface with a legacy terminal-based computer system, apersonal computer system could easily execute a terminal emulationprogram that would emulate the operations of a dumb terminal at a costvery similar to the cost of a dedicated dumb terminal. Thus, a singlesystem could operate as both a personal computer system and a terminalto a larger terminal-based computer system.

During the personal computer revolution, personal computers introducedhigh resolution graphics and cursor control devices (such as thecomputer mouse) to personal computer users. The combination ofhigh-resolution graphics displays and cursor control devices allowed formuch more intuitive computer user interfaces than a primitive text-onlydisplay screen. For example, virtually all current personal userinterface systems now use multiple windows, icons, and pull-down menusthat are implemented with high resolution graphics and navigated with acursor control device. Furthermore, high-resolution graphics allowed forapplications that used photos, videos, and graphical images.

In recent years, a new generation of high-resolution graphics terminalsystems have been introduced into the computer market as people haverediscovered some of the advantages of terminal-based computing systems.For example, computer terminals allow for greater security and reducedmaintenance costs since users of computer terminal systems cannot easilyintroduce computer viruses by downloading or installing new softwareinto the computer system. Thus, with a centralized computer systemhaving multiple terminals, only the main centralized computer serversystem needs to be closely monitored and maintained. The statelessterminal systems require almost no maintenance at all. The newgeneration of computer terminal systems includes high-resolutiongraphics capabilities, audio output, and cursor control system input(e.g., mouse, trackpad, trackball) that all personal computer users havebecome accustomed to using.

Modern terminal-based systems allow multiple users at individualhigh-resolution terminal systems to share a single personal computersystem and all of the application software installed on that personalcomputer system. In this manner, a modern high-resolution terminalsystem is capable of delivering nearly the full functionality of apersonal computer system to multiple users without the cost, power, andthe maintenance requirements of an individual personal computer systemfor each user. One category of these modern terminal systems is called“thin-client” systems since the terminal systems are a “client” to mainserver system and the terminal systems designed to be very simple andlimited (thus “thin”) and thus primarily depend on a thin-client serversystem for application processing activities. A thin-client terminalsystem thus mainly focuses only on conveying input and output betweenthe user and the centralized server system.

A First Thin-Client System Example Embodiment

FIG. 2A illustrates a block diagram of a first embodiment of athin-client environment. In the thin-client environment of FIG. 2A, aserver computer system 220 is illustrated as being coupled to one (ofpossibly many) thin-client terminal system 240. The thin-client servercomputer system 220 and thin-client terminal system 240 are coupled witha multi-conductor wire 230 that carries input from a user of thethin-client terminal system 240 to the server computer system 220 andoutput from the server computer system 220 to the thin-client terminalsystem 240.

FIG. 2B illustrates a conceptual diagram of the server computer system220 from FIG. 2A providing computer processing resources to a pluralityof individual thin-client terminal systems 240. A single thin-clientserver computer system 220 is coupled to several individual thin-clientterminal systems 240 in a hub & spoke arrangement since the exampleembodiment of FIG. 2A is illustrated as a direct connection between thethin-client server computer system 220 and each of the thin-clientterminal systems 240. The individual thin-client terminal systems 240are served using thin-client server network software 297 running onthin-client server computer system 220.

Referring back to FIG. 2A, the goal of thin-client terminal system 240is to provide most or all of the standard input and output features of apersonal computer system to the user of the thin-client terminal system240. However, this goal is to be achieved with as low of a cost aspossible. To reduce costs, the thin-client terminal system 240 will notprovide application software or the full computing resources of apersonal computer system within thin-client terminal system 240.Instead, those features will be provided by the thin-client serversystem 220 that will interact with the thin-client terminal system 240.Thus, the thin-client terminal system 240 merely acts as an input andoutput device for the thin-client server computer system 220

In the thin-client embodiment of FIG. 2A, the thin-client terminalsystem 240 acts largely as a simple pass through system such that mostof the hardware for driving the thin-client terminal system 240 actuallyresides within the server computer system 220. This type of thin-clientarchitecture allows the actual thin-client terminal devices 240 in theimplementation of FIG. 2A to be a very inexpensive.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, a thin-client interface system 210 isresponsible for interacting with all of the attached thin-clientterminal systems 240. To generate video output for each thin-clientterminal system 240, a thin-client video subsystem 214 in the serversystem 220 maintains a screen buffer 215 for each of the thin-clientterminal systems 240. Video display circuitry within the server system220 reads the screen buffer 215 contents and drives an analog videooutput 221 for each thin-client terminal system 240. Relatively simplevideo circuitry 265 in the thin-client terminal system 240 passes theanalog video output signal to a video display monitor 267. Audio may behandled in a similar manner wherein a thin-client audio system 212generates analog audio output 222 for each of the thin-client terminalsystems 240. In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, the analog audio informationis also passed from audio circuitry 272 to the video display monitor267. In an alternate embodiment, the thin-client audio system 212 maypass a digital auto signal to the thin-client terminal system 240 whichis then decoded and demodulated by the audio circuitry 272 into ananalog audio signal at the thin-client terminal system 240.

Input from the thin-client terminal systems 240 is handled using aninput control system 281 that receives input information from a keyboard283 (coupled to a keyboard connector 282) and a mouse 286 (coupled to amouse connector 285). The input control system 281 encodes the userinput information (e.g., keystrokes and mouse movements) and passes thatuser input information to a thin-client input interface system 211 inthe server system 220. In one particular embodiment, the design of thethin-client terminal systems 240 is so efficient that each thin-clientterminal system 240 receives all of its needed electrical power from apower out conductor 223 in the multi-conductor wire 230.

On the server side, the thin-client server computer system 220 isequipped with multi-user software for interacting with multiplethin-client terminal systems. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, a thin-clientinterface system 210 within thin-client server system 220 supports thethin-client terminal system 240 as well as any other thin-clientterminal systems (not shown) coupled to thin-client server system 220.Each thin-client terminal system 240 may have its own dedicated screenbuffer 215 within the thin-client video subsystem 214 in the thin-clientserver system 220.

The thin-client terminal system 240 embodiment of FIG. 2A is a veryefficient embodiment that requires a very minimal amount of hardwarewithin the actual thin-client terminal system 240 located at the userlocation. Most of the difficult aspects of providing terminal service,such as the generation of a video signal to drive video display system267, are performed within the server system 220 wherein the power supplysystems, bus infrastructure, and operating system support of the serversystem 220 can be used to help perform these tasks associated withproviding terminal service. In this manner, the thin-client terminalsystem 240 is relatively simple and thus very inexpensive to produce.However, the particular thin-client embodiment of FIG. 2A does have somedrawbacks. One drawback is that since the embodiment of FIG. 2A uses ananalog video signal to transmit video information from the server system220 to the individual thin-client terminal systems 240, the length ofthe multi-conductor wire 230 must be kept relatively short. If too longof a multi-conductor wire 230 is used, the analog signal may not besufficiently strong to generate high quality video at the thin-clientterminal system 240.

A Second Thin-Client System Example Embodiment

FIG. 3A illustrates a high-level block diagram of a second exampleembodiment of a thin-client server computer system 320 coupled to one(of possibly many) thin-client terminal system 340. The thin-clientserver computer system 320 and thin-client terminal system 340 arecoupled via a bi-directional digital communications channel 330 that maybe a serial data connection, an Ethernet connection, a wirelessconnection based on a wireless communication standard, such as the IEEE802.11 standard, or any other suitable bi-directional digitalcommunication means.

FIG. 3B illustrates a conceptual diagram of a thin-client environmentusing the system of FIG. 3A. Referring to FIG. 3B, a single thin-clientserver computer system 320 provides computer services using thin-clientserver network software 397 to many different thin-client terminalsystems 340. In the example embodiment disclosed in FIG. 3B, each of theindividual thin-client terminal systems 340 is coupled to thethin-client server computer system 320 using local area network 330 suchas Ethernet as a bi-directional communication channel. In such anembodiment, each of the individual thin-client terminal systems 340 willgenerally require its own individual power supply that is coupled to apower source such as an AC line current.

FIG. 3C illustrates an alternate conceptual diagram of a thin-clientenvironment using the thin-client architecture of FIG. 3A. In FIG. 3C, asingle thin-client server computer system 320 provides computer servicesto many different thin-client terminal systems 340 using a serial bussystem, such as the Universal Serial Bus (USB), as a bi-directionalcommunication channel. In such an embodiment, a Universal Serial Bus hub398 may be used to help couple more thin-client terminal systems 340 andextend the physical distance from the thin-client server computer system320 where thin-client terminal systems 340 can be located. Additionally,in the event that a local area network is not available or feasible, theserial bus system used to connect the thin-client server computer system320 to thin-client terminal systems 340 may emulate or provide analternate option to the local area network for connecting thethin-client server computer system to the thin-client terminal systems.

As set forth in the previous section, the goal of any thin-clientterminal system (such as thin-client terminal system 340) is to providemost or all of the standard input and output features of a personalcomputer system to the user of the thin-client terminal system 340.However, this goal is to be achieved without providing the fullcomputing resources or software of a personal computer system withinthin-client terminal system 340 since those features will be provided bythe thin-client server system 320 that will interact with thethin-client terminal system 340. In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, thethin-client terminal system 340 is more sophisticated and thus morecostly than the thin-client terminal system 240 of FIG. 2A. For example,the thin-client terminal system 340 is tasked with generating a videosignal locally, and the thin-client terminal system 340 is responsiblefor providing its own operating power. Despite including these features,each thin-client terminal system 340 is still far more primitive than afull personal computer system and thus much less expensive than apersonal computer system.

Referring to the block diagram of FIG. 3A, the thin-client terminalsystem 340 provides both visual and auditory output using ahigh-resolution video display system to drive display system 367 and anaudio output system to drive an audio output signal, respectively. Ingeneral, the thin-client terminal system 340 may have its own powersupply 353 since most digital communication lines 330 do not providepower.

The high-resolution video generation system of thin-client terminalsystem 340 consists of thin-client control system 350, a frame decoder361, a screen buffer 360, and a video adapter 365. The thin-clientcontrol system 350 identifies packets with video information and directsthat video information to frame decoder 361. The frame decoder 361decodes digital video information from the associated thin-client screenbuffer 315 in the server and places that digital video information intoscreen buffer 360 thus making screen buffer 360. Screen buffer 360contains a copy of the bit-mapped display in thin-client screen buffer315. Video adapter 365 reads the video display information out of screenbuffer 360 and generates a video display signal to drive display system367. The screen buffer 360 is filled with video display informationprovided by thin-client control system 350 using video information sentas output 321 by the thin-client server system 320 across bi-directionaldigital communications channel 330. Specifically, the video frameencoder 317 in the thin-client server system 320 sends information froma thin-client screen buffer 315 to the thin-client terminal system 340so that the thin-client terminal system 340 can create a copy in itsscreen buffer 360.

The audio system within thin-client terminal system 340 operates in asimilar manner to the video system. The audio system consists of a soundgenerator 371 coupled to an audio connector 372 for creating an audiosignal for an output device such as monitor 367. The sound generator 371is supplied with audio information thin-client control system 350 usingaudio information sent as output 321 by the thin-client server system320 across bi-directional communications channel 330.

From an input perspective, thin-client terminal system 340 allows forboth alpha-numeric input and cursor control input from a terminal systemuser to be supplied to the thin-client computer system 320. Thealpha-numeric input is provided by a keyboard 383 coupled to a keyboardconnector 382 that supplies signals to a keyboard control system 381.Thin-client control system 350 encodes keyboard input from keyboardcontrol system 381 and sends that keyboard input as input 325 to thethin-client server system 330. Similarly, the thin-client control system350 encodes cursor control input from cursor control system 384 andsends that cursor control input as input 325 to the thin-client serversystem 320. The cursor control input is received through a mouseconnector 385 from a computer mouse 385 or any other suitable cursorcontrol device such as a trackball, trackpad, etc.

The thin-client terminal system 340 may include other input, output, orcombined input/output systems in order to provide additionalfunctionality to the user of the thin-client terminal system 340. Forexample, the thin-client terminal system 340 illustrated in FIG. 3Aincludes input/output control system 374 coupled to input/outputconnector 375. Input/output control system 374 may be a Universal SerialBus (USB) controller and input/output connector 375 may be a USBconnector in order to provide Universal Serial Bus (USB) capabilities tothe user of thin-client terminal system 340.

Thin-client server computer system 320 is equipped with thin-clientserver network software 397 for interacting with multiple thin-clientsystems. As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the thin-client server networksoftware 397 in thin-client server system 320 supports the thin-clientterminal system 340 as well as any other thin-client terminal systemscoupled to the same thin-client server system 320. Each thin-clientterminal system 340 will have its own associated screen buffer in thethin-client server system 320 such as thin-client terminal screen buffer315.

Unlike the thin-client terminal system 240 of FIG. 2A, the thin-clientterminal system 340 may communicate using digital information acrossbi-directional communications channel 330, thereby allowing thin-clientterminal system 340 to be placed any distance from thin-client servercomputer system 320. In fact, as long as there is an appropriate digitalcommunication channel 330, a thin-client terminal system 340 could beused to interact with a server system 320 on the other side of theplanet. Furthermore, standard network systems such as Ethernet may beused to implement the digital communication channel 330. However, thesophistication of the electronic circuitry within thin-client terminalsystem 340 may render that system more expensive than thin-clientterminal system 240. Furthermore, thin-client terminal system 340 doesnot receive its operating power through the communication line such thateach individual thin-client terminal system 340 requires its own powersupply 453 which further increases the cost of thin-client terminalsystem 340.

An Example Thin-Client Multiplier Device

To combine the features of the thin-client terminal system 340 alongwith the reduced cost of thin-client terminal system 240, a thin-clientmultiplier device has been developed. The thin-client multiplier deviceallows a group of very inexpensive thin-client terminal systems to belocated any distance from the server. The cost of such a system is muchless than providing individual full thin-client terminal system 340 asillustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B to each user.

FIG. 4A illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of a thin-clientmultiplier device 451 within a thin-client environment. The thin-clientmultiplier device 451 is coupled to thin-client server computer system420 using a bi-directional digital communications channel 430 that maybe a serial data connection (such as USB), a digital network connection(such as Ethernet), a wireless connection (such as 802.11), or any othersuitable bi-directional digital communication means. The thin-clientmultiplier 451 may also be coupled to multiple thin-client terminalsystems 440 (only one is shown) with a multi-conductor wire 432.Multi-conductor wire 432 may be a Category 5 or Category 6 cable. In anexample embodiment, input/output devices, such as a display device andone or more cursor control devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse) may directlyconnect to input/output ports in the thin-client multiplier device 451as opposed to connecting to ports and connectors in the thin-clientterminal system 440. Direct connection of input/output devices to thethin-client multiplier device 451 may be desirable in cases wherethin-client terminal devices are clustered or in close proximity.

FIG. 4B illustrates a first conceptual diagram of a thin-clientenvironment using the thin-client multiplier device 451 of FIG. 4A. Inthe embodiment of FIG. 4B, a thin-client server computer system 420 iscoupled to a thin-client multiplier device 451 through digital networklink 430. Digital network link 430 may be a wired (e.g., Ethernet, USB)or wireless communication channel. The signal on the digital networklink 430 may be carried on a digital computer network 428 (e.g., localarea network, wide area network) to thin-client system 420 locatedremote from the thin-client multiplier device 451.

FIG. 4C illustrates a second conceptual diagram of a thin-clientenvironment using the thin-client multiplier device 451 of FIG. 4A. Inthe embodiment of FIG. 4C, a thin-client server computer system 420 iscoupled to two thin-client multiplier devices 451 through a USB line 430and a USB hub 398. Additional USB hubs 398 and thin-client multiplierdevices 451 may be coupled to the USB line 430 as necessary to provideadditional thin-client terminal systems 440 as needed until the datatraffic on the USB line 430 becomes too heavy. The USB line 430 and theUSB hub 398 may emulate a local area network or otherwise replace orsubstitute for a local area network.

The thin-client multiplier device 451 in FIGS. 4B and 4C is coupled toseveral local thin-client terminal systems 440. Each of the individualthin-client terminal systems 440 is coupled to the thin-clientmultiplier device 451 using multi-conductor wire that may carry bothinformation signals and electrical power such that thin-client terminalsystems 440 do not need an external power supply. Specifically, all ofthe attached thin-client terminal systems may be powered from the powergenerated by the power supply 453 associated with the thin-clientmultiplier device 451.

Referring back to FIG. 4A, the thin-client multiplier device 451receives all of the output information across digital bi-directionaldigital communications channel 430 for all the thin-client terminalsystems coupled to that thin-client multiplier device 451. Similarly,the thin-client multiplier device 451 transmits all user input receivedfrom the thin-client terminal systems 440 across the digitalcommunications channel 430 to thin-client server computer system 420.

Since the thin-client multiplier device 451 handles multiple thin-clientterminal systems 440, an addressing system is needed to identify whichparticular thin-client terminal system a particular unit of input oroutput information is associated with. In one embodiment, thethin-client multiplier device 451 obtains (or is assigned) a uniquenetwork address, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address, for eachindividual thin-client terminal system 440 that the thin-clientmultiplier device 451 supports. In such an embodiment, the thin-clientmultiplier device 451 would appear to the thin-client server computersystem 420 similar to several individual thin-client terminal systems340 from the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3A. In this manner, thethin-client multiplier device 451 could be made backwards-compatiblewith the same thin-client server software used in the thin-client serversystem 320 illustrated in FIG. 3A. Such a system would reduce productline complexity and simplify deployment. In an alternate embodiments,the thin-client multiplier device 451 may use a single IP address butdifferent TCP/UDP port numbers or an proprietary addressing system toidentify each of the individual thin-client terminal system 440 servedby the thin-client multiplier device 451.

Within the thin-client multiplier device 451, a control system 450receives all output from the thin-client server computer system 420destined to any of the thin-client terminal systems coupled tothin-client multiplier 451. Using one of the addressing systemsmentioned above, the control system 450 determines which thin-clientterminal system 440 output data is destined for and delivers the outputdata to output circuitry assigned with the addressed thin-clientterminal system 440. For example, if the thin-client server computersystem 420 were to send audio data destined for thin-client terminalsystem 440 in FIG. 4A, the control system 450 would pass that audio datato audio system 462 in a section of circuitry (460 to 465) dedicated tothin-client terminal system 440. Audio system 462 then transmits anappropriate audio signal out to that thin-client terminal system 440.The audio signal may be analog or digital depending on the specificimplementation.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4A, there are sections of circuitry for threedifferent thin-client terminal systems: a first section of circuitry(460 to 465) for thin-client terminal system 440 and two additionalsections of circuitry (470 to 475 and 490 to 495) for two additionalthin-client terminal systems (not shown). Each of these sections ofcircuitry may be referred to as a terminal interface circuit. Eachterminal interface circuit for a thin-client terminal system includessubsections for video output, audio output, keyboard & mouse input, andpower output. For illustration purposes only, three terminal interfacecircuits have been included in the thin-client multiplier 451 of theexample embodiment of FIG. 4A. However, it is contemplated that anynumber of terminal interface circuits may be included within thethin-client multiplier 451.

Referring to the first terminal interface circuit (460 to 465) forthin-client terminal system 440, the high-resolution video sectionconsists of a frame decoder 461, a video screen buffer 460, and a videoadapter 465. The frame decoder 461 decodes digital video informationreceived from the associated thin-client screen buffer 415 in the server420 and places that digital video information into screen buffer 460thus creating a representation of a video screen. Specifically, screenbuffer 460 contains a copy of the bit-mapped display in thin-clientscreen buffer 415. Video adapter 465 then reads the video displayinformation out of screen buffer 460 and generates an analog videodisplay signal to drive display system 447. As set forth above, theaudio system operates in a similar manner. Specifically, the audiosystem 462 is supplied with digital audio information from controlsystem 450 and transmits an appropriate audio output signal to theassociated thin-client terminal system 440. The audio system 462 maydecode and demodulated the audio data into an analog audio signalprovided to the thin-client system. Alternatively, the audio system 462may simply pass digital audio data to the associated thin-clientterminal system 440 for decoding and demodulating by the audio circuitry442 within the thin-client terminal system 440.

From a user input perspective, an input interface 463 with each terminalinterface circuit in thin-client multiplier device 451 receives bothalpha-numeric input and cursor control device input from the associatedthin-client terminal system 440. The thin-client multiplier device 451may support both Personal System/2-compatible devices (PS/2) as well asUSB-compatible devices. The input interface 463 also may receive inputfrom various slave devices, such as USB flash drives, portable harddrives, and music devices, that are connected to connectors or ports(not shown) in the associated thin-client terminal system 440. In anexample embodiment, the terminal interface circuit itself may includeconnectors or ports (not shown) by which slave devices may be connected.The input interface 463 passes this input data to control system 450that encodes the input data with an address specifying that the inputdata is from the specific thin-client terminal system 440. The encodedinput data is then transmitted to the thin-client server system 420across the bi-directional communication channel 430. For example, theuser input information received from a particular thin-client terminalsystem 440 may be sent from thin-client multiplier device 451 to thethin-client server system 420 using an IP address specificallyassociated with that thin-client terminal system 440.

Finally, the subsection of circuitry within thin-client multiplier 451associated with thin-client terminal system 440 may also include a powersystem that delivers power 464 across multi-conductor wire 432, such asa Category 6 cable, to thin-client terminal system 440. In this manner,the individual thin-client terminal systems 440 coupled to thethin-client multiplier device 451 do not need their own power supplies.This reduces the price of each thin-client terminal system 440. Theoperating power for the thin-client multiplier device 451 and allthin-client terminal systems 440 coupled to that thin-client multiplierdevice 451 may be supplied by single power supply unit 453.

Thus, the first terminal interface circuit (460 to 465) in thin-clientmultiplier 451 generates all the needed output signals for thin-clientterminal system 440. However, it is particularly noteworthy that theterminal interface circuit (460 to 465) in thin-client multiplier device451 may generate the exact same signals on multi-conductor wire 432 thatthe server system 220 in the thin-client embodiment of FIG. 2A places onmulti-conductor wire 230. In this manner, the same thin-client terminalsystems 240 from FIG. 2A can be used with the thin-client multiplierdevice 451 of FIG. 4A. This can be verified by noting that thethin-client terminal system 240 of FIG. 2A includes the exact sameinternal components as the thin-client terminal system 440 of FIG. 4A.

Due to this compatibility, the thin-client multiplier device 451 can beused as a backwards-compatible drop-in expansion device that allows athin-client server system 320 from the thin-client embodiment of FIG. 3Ato be expanded with multiple inexpensive thin-client terminal systems240 from the embodiment of FIG. 2A. The thin-client multiplier 451 maycost a little more than the single thin-client terminal system 340 sinceit contains multiple individual screen buffers (460, 470, and 490),however much of the circuitry can be shared by the terminal interfacecircuits. For example, the same power supply circuitry can be used togenerate all of the power output signals. 464, 474, and 494.Furthermore, a single fast processor can serve as the control system 450and as all of the frame decoders (461, 471, and 491). Thus, thethin-client multiplier device 451 should only cost marginally more thanthe cost of a single thin-client terminal system 340 from the embodimentof FIG. 3A. And since the cost of the simple thin-client terminal system240 of FIG. 2A is much lower than the cost of the thin-client terminalsystem 340 of FIG. 3A, the usage of a thin-client multiplier device 451and a set of thin-client terminal systems from FIG. 2A may besignificantly less than the same number of thin-client terminal systemsfrom FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4D illustrates an alternate embodiment of the thin-clientmultiplier 451 from FIG. 4A. In the embodiment of FIG. 4D, thefunctionality from the thin-client terminal system 440 has beenintegrated into the thin-client multiplier 451 for two of the terminalinterface circuits. In this manner, keyboards 483, mice 486, anddisplays 447 (collectively, “input/output devices”) may be coupleddirectly to the thin-client multiplier 451 to create terminalworkstations without requiring additional thin-client terminal boxes440. This further reduces the cost for implementing a thin-clientterminal system. Note that the functionality from the thin-clientterminal systems 440 may be integrated into the thin-client multiplier451 for any number of terminal interface circuits.

The preceding technical disclosure is intended to be illustrative, andnot restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (or one ormore aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Otherembodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewingthe above description. The scope of the claims should, therefore, bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appendedclaims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as theplain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and“wherein.” Also, in the following claims, the terms “including” and“comprising” are open-ended, that is, a system, device, article, orprocess that includes elements in addition to those listed after such aterm in a claim are still deemed to fall within the scope of that claim.Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and“third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to imposenumerical requirements on their objects.

The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b), whichrequires that it allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of thetechnical disclosure. The abstract is submitted with the understandingthat it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning ofthe claims. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various featuresmay be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not beinterpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature isessential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in lessthan all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, thefollowing claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description,with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.

What is claimed is:
 1. A terminal multiplier apparatus, said terminalmultiplier apparatus comprising: an interface component configured tobi-directionally communicate data between a thin-client terminal and athin-client server system; a control system connected to the interfacecomponent and configured to: receive output data that includes anaddress of a terminal interface circuit among a plurality of terminalinterface circuits at the terminal multiplier apparatus from thethin-client server system, and distribute the output data from thethin-client server system to the thin-client terminal via the terminalinterface circuit identified by the address included with the outputdata, the terminal interface circuit configured to process anddistribute the output data to the corresponding thin-client terminal,the terminal interface circuit comprising: a screen buffer to store adigital representation of a video display of the thin-client terminal,and an input interface to receive input information from the thin-clientterminal, at least one terminal interface circuit of the plurality ofterminal interface circuits further comprising at least one input/outputdevice port configured to directly connect with a user input/outputdevice of a thin-client terminal corresponding to the at least oneterminal interface circuit, the terminal interface circuit comprising avideo adapter to read the screen buffer and generate an analog videosignal for the corresponding terminal system, the control system beingfurther configured to aggregate the input information received by theplurality of terminal interface circuits, and the interface componentbeing further configured to receive the aggregated input informationfrom the control system and transmit the aggregated input information tothe server.
 2. The terminal multiplier apparatus of claim 1, whereinsaid each terminal interface circuit further comprises: an audio systemto generate an audio signal for the corresponding terminal system. 3.The terminal multiplier apparatus of claim 1, wherein the each terminalinterface circuit further comprises: a power system to generate a powersignal provided to the corresponding terminal system.
 4. The terminalmultiplier apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface component obtainsa unique network address for each terminal system supported by theterminal multiplier system.
 5. The terminal multiplier apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the control system receives video data from the serversystem and places the video data into an appropriate screen bufferassociated with one of the corresponding terminal systems.
 6. Theterminal multiplier apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interfacecomponent is configured to bi-directionally communicate digitalinformation with the server system via at least one of an Ethernetcable, a wireless connection, and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable. 7.The terminal multiplier apparatus of claim 1, wherein the each terminalinterface circuit is further configured to support input/output devicesdirectly coupled to the each terminal interface circuit.
 8. A method ofinteracting with a server system, said method comprising: receivingoutput data that includes an address of a terminal interface circuitamong a plurality of terminal interface circuits located at the terminalmultiplier apparatus from the server system on a bi-directional digitalinterface, the output data associated with one of a plurality ofthin-client terminals; processing the output data with a control system;passing the output data to the terminal interface circuit from among theplurality of terminal interface circuits housed in a graphics terminalmultiplier device, based on the address, each terminal interface circuitfor processing the output data and providing processed output data to acorresponding thin-client terminal of the plurality of thin-clientterminal systems, the each terminal interface circuit of the graphicsterminal multiplier device comprising a screen buffer for storing adigital representation of a video display for the correspondingthin-client terminal, at least one terminal interface circuit of theplurality of terminal interface circuits further comprising at least oneinput/output device port configured to directly connect with a userinput/output device of a thin-client terminal corresponding to the atleast one terminal interface circuit; reading the screen buffer; andgenerating an analog video signal for the corresponding thin-clientterminal.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving, by aninput interface of the each terminal interface circuit, inputinformation from the corresponding thin-client terminal.
 10. The methodof interacting with a server system of claim 8, further comprising:generating an audio signal for the corresponding thin-client terminalusing an audio system circuit in said one of the plurality of terminalinterface circuits.
 11. The method of interacting with a server systemof claim 8, further comprising: transmitting electrical power to thecorresponding thin-client terminal.
 12. The method of interacting with aserver system of claim 8, further comprising: obtaining a unique networkaddress for each thin-client terminal of the plurality of thin-clientterminals.
 13. The method of interacting with a server system of claim8, wherein the passing the output data to the one of the plurality ofterminal interface circuits comprises: decoding the video data; andplacing the video data into the screen buffer associated with thecorresponding thin-client terminal.
 14. A terminal multiplier apparatus,comprising: a control system configured to receive output data for aplurality of thin-client terminals from a server system; a plurality ofterminal interface circuits, each terminal interface circuit configuredto: receive output data that includes an address of a terminal interfacecircuit among a plurality of terminal interface circuits at the terminalmultiplier apparatus, from the control system; and provide processedoutput data to a thin-client terminal among the plurality of thin clientterminals based on the address, each terminal interface circuitcomprising an input interface to receive input information from thethin-client terminal, and at least one terminal interface circuit of theplurality of terminal interface circuits further comprising at least oneinput/output device port configured to directly connect with a userinput/output device of a thin-client terminal corresponding to the atleast one terminal interface circuit, the terminal interface circuitcomprising a video adapter to read the screen buffer and generate ananalog video signal for the corresponding terminal system.
 15. Theterminal multiplier apparatus of claim 14, wherein the each terminalinterface circuit comprises: a screen buffer configured to store adigital representation of a video display for the correspondingthin-client terminal; and a power system to generate a power signal forthe corresponding thin-client terminal.
 16. The terminal multiplierapparatus of claim 14, further comprising a digital interface configuredto bi-directionally communicate digital information with the serversystem via at least one of an Ethernet cable, a wireless connection, anda Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable.
 17. The terminal multiplierapparatus of claim 16, wherein the digital interface obtains a uniquenetwork address for each corresponding thin-client terminal supported bythe terminal multiplier system.
 18. The terminal multiplier apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein each terminal interface circuit is further configuredto provide the processed output data to input/output devices directlycoupled to the each terminal interface circuit.